Gas-lighter.



(I. F. LARSEN.

GAS LIGHTER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 2, 1915.

LIQQAQ'Z, Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

Inventor KZWZ v Witnesses I 1/ '?-P57%z/ifilz/L.v M 0 Attorneys CHARLES E. LARSEN, OF PORTLAND, OREGON.

GAS-LIGHTER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented J an. 25, 1915..

Application filed October 2, 1915. Serial No. 53,796.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. LARSEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Portland, in the county of Multnomah and State of Oregon, have invented a new and useful Gas-Lighter, of which the following is a specification;

The device forming the subject matter of this application is adapted to be employed for lighting gas and for other purposes where a spark is required.

The invention aims to provide novel means for actuatinga rack bar which, in turn rotatesan abrasive wheel. 7'

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention, appertains. With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 shows the invention in side elevation; Figs. 2 and 3 are longitudinal sections showing the parts of the'device in difi'erent positions; Fig. 4 isa cross section on the line H of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a cross section on' the line 55 of Fig. 2.

In carrying out the present invention there I is provided a support, denoted generally by the numeral 1, the same beingin the form of a pistol, preferably, and embodying a barrel 2 and a grip 30. The barrel 2 is provided along its lower edge with an extension 4:, the barrel being equipped adjacent its muzzle with a downwardly discharging outlet 8. Mounted to reciprocate in the barrel 2 is a rack bar 5, laterally ofiset adjacent its forward end as shown at 6, the laterally odset portion of the rack bar being equipped with a rack 7. The rack bar 5 is supplied intermediate its ends with an elongated slot 8 receiving a supporting pin 9 the ends of which are mounted in the barrel 2. In the upper edge of the rack bar 5 near to its rear end is formed a notch 10 defining a shoulder.

The invention comprises an actuating member 11 which preferably is troughshaped in cross section, the rear end of the rack bar 5 being received in the forward end of the actuating member 11. The actuating member 11 slides in the rear wall of the grip '30 and'the exposed end of the actuating member carries a thumb piece 12. Extended across the actuating member 11 near to its forward end is a projection in the form of a pin 14 adapted to coact with the notch or shoulder'lO in the rack bar 5 in a manner which will be set forth hereinafter. At its forward end, the actuating member 11 is beveled as shown at 15 to coact" with the supporting pin 9 which is carried by the barrel 2. The forward end of a retractile spring 16 is secured to the rear end ofthe rack bar 5, the rear end of the spring 16 being secured to. a pin 17 mounted in the grip 30. lhe rear end of a spring 18 is secured to the pin 17, and the forward end of the spring 18 is secured to the member 11.

Mounted in the barrel '2 adjacent its forward end is a shaft 19 supporting for rotation an abrasive wheel 20, a pinion 21 being connected to the said wheel 20 to rotate therewith. The pinion 21 is engaged by the rack 7. Mounted on the upper edge of the rack bar 5 is a spring 26 which, coacting with the barrel 1 serves tov maintain the rack 7 in engagement with thepinion 21.

v Secured to the extension 4 of the barrel 2 is a guide or tube 22 in which is mounted to slide a pyrophoric eler'hent 23 ada ted to coact with the abrasive wheel 20. compress on spring 24 bears against the rear end of the pyrophoric element 23, the spring being located in the tube 22. Threaded into the tube 22 is a screw 25 which may be manipulated to adjust the compressive effort of the spring 24.

In practical operation, when the actuating member 11 is thrust forwardly by means .of the thumb piece 12, the projection or pin 14 on the actuating member engages in .the notch 10 on the rack bar 5 and advances the same, the abrasive wheel 20 being rotated in a clock-wise direction by theengagement between the rack 7 and the pinion '21. When the actuating member 11 and the rack bar 5 are advanced, the springs 16 and 18 are put under tension. As the actuating member 11 is advanced, the beveled edge 15 thereof rides up onto theguide pin 9' and thus the actuating member is lifted so that the pin 14 will he disengaged from the notch 10 in the actuating member 11. The actuating member then moves rearwardly under the action of the spring 18, the spring 16 constituting a means for retracting the rack bar 5 when pressure is removed from the thumb piece 12. As the rack bar 5 moves rear wardly the abrasive wheel 20 is rotated through the engagement between the rack 7 and'the pinion 21. As the abrasive wheel thus is rotated in contact with the pyrophoric element 23 which is advanced by the spring 24, a train of sparks is projected through the outlet 3.

Having thus described the invention; what is claimed is 1. In a device of the class described, a support having the general outline of a pistol and embodying a barrel and an angularly disposed grip, the barrel being provided adjacent its muzzle with an outlet; an abrasive wheel journaled in the barrel adjacent the outlet; a pinion mounted to move with the abrasive wheel; a rack bar housed in the barrel and meshing with the pinion; means accessible from the 'outside of the support and at the breech of the barrel for actuatin the rack bar; a pyrophor-ic element sli able in the barrel and coacting with the abrasive wheel; spring means for advancing the pyrophoric element; and mechanism carried by the barrel and located below a portion of the barrel, for adjusting the spring means.

2. In a device of the class described, a support; an abrasive wheel journaled for rotation in the support; a pinionassembled with the abrasive wheel; a pyrophoric element pressed against the abrasive wheel; a rack bar meshing into the pinion; a guide meaaov wherewith the rack bar engages directly; a means for retracting therack bar; and an actuating member slidable in the support,

the actuating member and the rack bar bein provided with interengaging elements whic coact to advance the rack bar, the actuating member being beveled on its forward end to engage with the guide when the actuating member is advanced, thereby to elevate the actuating member and to break the engagement between said interengaging'elements and to permit a retraction of the rack bar by the said means.

3. In a device of the class described, a support; an abrasive Wheel journaled therein; a pyrophoric element pressed against the abrasive wheel; a pinion mounted to move with the abrasive Wheel; a rack bar engaged withthe pinion, the rack bar being provided with a slot, and having a notch in its edge; a pin projecting from the support and received slidably in the-slot; and an actuating member slidable in the support and embodying a projection adapted to engage the notch, the forward edge of the actuating member being beveled to engage withthe pin, thereby to disengage the projection from the notch; and spring means for retracting the rack bar and the actuating member. I

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

' CHARLES F. LARSEN Witnesses:

L. E. PATERsoN, ApL. SHANKLIN. 

